The Tools We Use
by Rinne-Kami
Summary: Those eyes... They laid the foundation of their world. Those eyes... the creator of modern Ninjutsu. For generations people believed that those eyes were a myth, a legend of the ages, but now. Those eyes... they have resurfaced. Not once, but twice.
1. History

**A/N:** Yo! I can't believe I managed to get this up as well. I only started writing it today. Consider this a preview like my Becoming Ther Legend fic had. unless this sits well with everyone, then it will be chapter 1. Quite frankly I loved it! I've been looking round and I haven't found a Rinnegan Naruto story open like how mine has. I'm not saying it's original, I might have just missed a story that has.

Anyway, why I've written a Rinnegan Naruto story. My name's not Rinne-kami for nothing. I was inspired to write this after reading two other Rinnegan Naruto stories: Faded Dreams by Bestifreplaced and The Path of Pain by Zariche. And neither have updated in such a long time, and I haven't found a Rinnegan Naruto story that can fill the void they've left.

Bit of background on this. I've always wanted to write a Rinnegan Naruto story. I love the Rinnegan and I love Naruto (not his canon character though, I hate the constantly optimistic, unwilling to kill someone who would happily kill you personality that every main character has) So yeah, different Naruto personality in this one. I'll explain a bit more at the end A/N.

I don't like the name of my story, but I've ran out of creative names, so the story title is subject to change and suggestions, so go nuts. XD

CURTAINS UP!

* * *

"F-Father!" She responded quickly to his hoarse coughing. Rushing to the side of his bed and offering him a glass of water, the look of fear never ceased to erase from her eyes. Even as he took the glass from her hand the coughing continued. Only stopping when his ran over the edge of it, gulping down the liquid quickly.

Placing it to his side he looked over to his watery eyed daughter, a weak smile grew on his lips. Gently he placed a hand on her long red hair and stroked it tenderly. "My daughter. I have never met anyone with a kinder heart than you. It is a shame that you were never destined to lead. I have given you an exceptional gift, I have blessed you with control and you in return blessed me with your love."

Her eyes began leaking worse than before, wiping the tears from her eyes he continued. "I have one last gift for you." He placed his hand on the top of her head. "With the control I have gifted to you, your line will build something magnificent. Now I shall give your blood the tool to do so. And unlike myself and your brother, I shall give you the opportunity to place the tool back down."

Her eyes widened as information poured into her brain. Her black eyes, turn a monotonous purple similar to her father's. Her pupil pulsed, a concentric ripple sent across her sclera. It was over, her eyes returned to their black colour and her father relinquished his grip on her skull. Panting now, his smile still managed to stay. "Now please, fetch your brothers and do not enter with them."

She nodded quickly, standing up and walking hurriedly out of the room. Leaving her father alone, he reached across and took hold of his staff, bringing it back he placed it across his legs. Now it was time.

His sons walked in, they had both grown into fine men. His oldest stood a head taller than his younger brother. His long black locks shot in every direction. Eyebrows clipped short as a sign of his nobility. His clothing similar to his hair colour. Black. Everything, from his Gi to his pants was black, all except for the white lining of his robe. His eldest knew what this was about, he stood with a smile smile directed towards his father. Arms crossed over his chest, standing comfortably, most of his body weight rest on his left leg.

His younger son, his smile grew in response to his younger son's wide grin. Unlike his brother he was always open. They were similar in clothing, but that was were their similarities ended, his black hair was pushed up by his blank headband. His posture was open, allowing anyone to approach him.

"My sons, you are now both men. Now is the time to test your resolves." He spoke hoarsely. He was dying, he knew it, his family knew it. But he had left so much unaccomplished.

"Is this really necessary Father." His older son spoke first, his swirling eyes softening. "You have mastered the very art of life and death. I have seen you survive numerous fatal wounds. I have watched you heal the dying. Why not do it for yourself?"

"Because. My time is over, it was never my destiny to bring peace to the world. It is yours, my children, and your children's children. I was only the beginning." He smiled in return.

Both of his boys smiled. Now, they were ready.

"One of you is destined to lead, this world to peace. The other is destined to follow obediently. Let me hear your resolves. I have blessed you both with something that no other will have. My eldest child. What are your ideals? How would you lead this world?"

"With power." His son no longer slouched, he stood upright. "You have ruled this world Father. And you have ruled it well, the people look to you as a God because of your powers. You have blessed me with your eyes. Now I will rule in your stead with that same power." His spiralling eyes widened, the patterns moving, looking like a whirlpool, never starting, never stopping, ceaseless.

His father closed his eyes. "And now my younger son." He spoke more gently this time. "How would you bring this world to a Utopia?"

"With love, Father." His younger son responded, ignoring his brother's scoff. "The world looks to you as a leader, yet I have never seen you looked back at them as anything less than your equals. You are a hero for the world, and they love you for it. With your willpower that I have been blessed with, I shall return their love. They will not look at me as their leader, they will look at me as they servant to the world, to them. So they may grow to love one another as equals."

His father smiled. There it was. "My sons, I have only ever done what is best for you, have I not?" Both his sons nodded. "And only what is best for the world. My answer is absolute..."

His gaze shifted to his younger son. "You, my son. Will lead this world to peace."

His younger son's eyes widened. While his elder's closed in anger. "That is absurd!" He shouted in a fury. "I am the oldest! It has been my destiny since I left mother's stomach to lead! I am your heir! I am the leader this world leads!"

"You are lacking something!" His father shouted in response, his voice horribly hoarse. "You lack the compassion needed. You think of yourself as something higher than everybody else. But your ideals are futile, there is never anything higher than human. Your brother answered correctly. My answer is absolute." He repeated, looking at his enraged son.

He gritted his teeth in return. The bones cracked as he clenched his fist in rage. A loud growl escaped his mouth, he turned and left the room, but not before shoving past his younger brother. The 'leader'.

He watched his older brother leave them room. "Father." He turned to his father in concern. "Are you sure? I have always respected Brother. He is strong, he is smart, he is able, and he IS the eldest. I would happily serve under him without regrets."

His father shook his head. "No. It must be you. He is not what this world needs. You are. There is no denying it, I can see the fire within you. It will lead to great things." He smiled at his son, before gesturing him to leave.

"It is time." He whispered to himself. Shutting his purple eyes. The final stage of his departure began.

* * *

"**Rikud****ō**." The voice was ominous, murderous, calm.

"Have even you grown accustomed to calling me that?" He replied without fear.

"**I must thank you for gifting me with the ability of speech, Rikudō**." The voice responded.

"It was quieter than all the roaring to just do so." Again his voice was calm and without fear.

"**Do you remember?**" The voice continued. "**The day you sealed me within yourself. You became something akin to me that day. A God. It has been many years since that day, I am not with respect for others, you have accomplished your task in keeping me away from the world for all these years. You have my respect. We have been together for so very long. Would you not consider us old friends?**"

"I would, but we are not friends." He replied once more.

"**Then please, on your deathbed at least, call me by my name, just this once.**"

"...Jubi." One large eye opened, similar concentric circles pulsing from the pupil like his own. Nine tomoes sat on three of the four circles escaping the pupil. Three on each circle closest to the pupil. Multiple massive chakra chains held down it large limbs pinning into the ground.

"**How does it feel Rikudō**." The Jubi spoke. "**To know that all your efforts were in vain.**"

"What do you mean?" The Rikudō responded, looking at the Jubi in the eye.

"**You story will captivate and mesmerise men for hundreds of years. Even when it reaches a time when you are considered myth. You hold your species in such a high regard, but my eye sees many things. Much more than your two. I see how weak your species is. You are all power hungry. One day, there will be such a man who will not heed your story's warning. He will seek to reach the heights you have. No matter where you place me in this Earth, he will find me and release. Believing he is ready to control me. And he will fail. He will only release my terror back onto the world, and you will not be there to protect it.**"

Rikudō let out a small chuckle. "You're right. I will not be there. But, there will be others, maybe one, maybe a thousand who will make sure you never succeed. My abilities will separate through my children and spread across the world. There will still be peace yet. I assure you."

Jubi returned with a chuckle of it's own, it's more powerful. "**Maybe they will, but that does not matter. You are dying. I am not. When the last breath escapes your body I shall leave with it. Your children can not work together to stop me. The Earth will recognise my terror after all these years.**"

"I think..." Rikudō gazed out to the world outside his mind. How the pitch black sky blanketed the sky. Those distant stars were not enough to light the way. "The night has bathed in the darkness for too long, don't you."

"**What are you doing?**" Jubi looked at Rikudō with confusion and interest.

"You're right. There may be a man who will search the Earth for you. Therefore I shall lock you above the sky. You, Jubi will light the night sky. And pave the path to peace in the light."

_**'What is this power!'**_ Jubi felt the Rikudō's chakra flaring. The chakra was gathering into one concentrated point. "**What are you going on about! RIKUDŌ!**"

"Please Jubi. If you consider us friends. Call me by my name. My true name." Rikudō spoke calmly. Activating a technique he had spent his life developing. A combination of his earth techniques. He would collect the elements, reverse the gravity, and lock life away inside this one technique.

Jubi realised what was happening. It's chakra felt like it was being ripped apart by the chains, in nine different directions. Even on his deathbed, he was this strong. "**Very well, -**"

* * *

"_**CHIBAKU TENSEI!**_" The Rikudō proclaimed loudly from his bed, a small black ball constructed itself between his palms. His three children ran into his room, staring in shock.

_'What is this?'_ The eldest son thought gazing at the black mass between his father's hands.

"Father, what are you doing!" He heard his younger son shout in horror.

"What I must. I can not avoid dying, but I will prevent the demon from returning at all costs." His own resolve was now absolute. "Protect this world my son."

He threw the black ball high into the sky, chunks of the earth flew up and encased the ball, the roof and structure of their house went with it molding around the ball, increasing it's size.

Rikudō let out a loud war cry. "_**IZANAGI!**_" Nine beams of light shot out of his body. These lights morphed and transformed. So they became enormous ferocious animals. The aura leaking off them disturbed the entire area's peace.

A sand-colored Tanuki appeared first, one large tail swung around, with dark blue markings all over its face, body, and tail. It's jagged, concave mouth opened, giving off a massive roar. The sclera of its eyes are black, containing yellow irides with pupils that each takes the shape of a black four-pointed star with four black dots around it.

Next from one of the lights came a massive monster cat, it's whole body engulfed with blue flames, two thin tails whipped against themselves. The cat hissed loudly, it's green left eye and yellow right eye closing slightly.

A red turtle appeared from the third light, complete with it's greyish-green shell, three large shrimp like tails thrashed around. It's red sclera, yellow iris eyes hardened, it's two human and only two limbs dug into the ground.

A muscular red monkey appeared, smoke rising from it's mouth. Charred bone ripped out of it's skin on it's four tails and head. It roared ferociously it's four tails crashing against the ground.

A white horse sprung to life, it's head's shape was long, similar to a dolphin. Under it's eyes were red markings. It's five elegant tails, swayed around in the air.

Two small feet hit the ground, collapsing on top of those feet were masses and masses of light blue chubby rolls. Six slimy tail squirmed around as the huge slug blinked a few tomes.

A blue, armoured Kabutomushi, with six of its seven tails resembling green insect wings, along with the seventh tail, all growing from the end of its abdomen appeared out of the seventh light, hovering in the air.

An ushi-oni with four long horns on its head, with a fifth horn like protrusion on its chin appeared eighth. It has a muscular upper-body structure, with arms with spiked protrusions on the elbows, and hands with opposable thumbs like that of a human. Eight tails shaped like Cephalopod tentacles were present at it's backside.

Out of the ninth appeared the most terrifying. A demonic kitsune, with orange fur and blood-red eyes, it also possesses the upper-body structure of a human, complete with opposable thumbs on its clawed hands. Nine large tails crashed into everything around them, including the other monsters. Out of all the beasts he had just created, Rikudō noted how this one was the most similar to Jubi with it's body shape.

As soon as they were created the monsters scattered, running in all directions away from the every growing circle of Earth.

The Rikudō winced in pain, his arm exploded outwards, growing several sizes and turning black, claws replacing his fingernails.

"Father!" His daughter sobbed. "What is happening to you! What have you just done!"

"I have separated the Jubi's chakra into nine sentimental beings. It's body is still within me. For now." His breath was ragged as he responded. "My body is rejecting the Jubi now. My body will disappear, being replaced with the Jubi. But I will take the Jubi's body away. Make sure it's chakra does not harm the world." Rikudō finished, he allowed his body to be lifted by the pull of the orb, his form moving every closer to his objective. Outer space. "This is my final task. With this I shall put a light in the darkness."

"Father!" He heard his daughter screech in grief, tears pouring from her eyes. His younger son holding her back, she could not follow where he was going.

'_Please do not cry, my beloved daughter._' A tear left his own eye. The tomoes beginning to produce on the ripples of his eye. '_You, were always my favourite. I am deeply sorry, that you were never destined to lead._'

His body hit the Earth surrounding the orb, no time was wasted, more Earth layered itself over him. This was it.

The three now orphaned children, watched massive black arm explode out of the rock, struggling to free the remaining body. More Earth continued to pile on, engulfing the arm. Water drained upwards towards it, seeping into every crack, the sheer size of the completed orb. It wasn't of this world.

They were right. The orb began ascending into the heavens. Passing through the clouds. The massive orb shrunk in size as it left, from the distance it was when it stopped. It was only slightly bigger than their fists.

Light. It crept into every dark corner. The was bleak night sky was lighten up. This orb what their father created reflected light from the distant Sun and directed it towards them. Their father's final gift to the world.

The three children stared at the wonder in front of them. "What father has created. What shall we call it?" The younger son asked, unable to take his eyes off the marvel.

"The Moon." The eldest of the three spoke. His younger sister and brother nodded in agreement.

_The Moon_

* * *

"Look brother!" He alerted his older brother, pointing towards the moon lit sky. "It's taken a month, but the Moon is full again." He smiled happily at the Moon. It had been a month since his father's sacrifice. They had rebuild their home from the ground once again. Their sister had left soon after. This house keeping to many memories for her. "I hope sister can see it."

"Hey Brother, do you see the smiling man on the moon's face. It's as if once a month, Father can look back down on the Earth and smile at our accomplishments." He continued, fixated on the moon. He turned to face his brother on the roof tops, he to gazing at the moon.

"Do you want to know what I see little brother." The word little came out of his mouth with scorn. "I see Father mocking me. His smile ever focused on you, while I remain in the shadows." His loose grip on his Scythe tightened. "But a smile will not save you now. Father is no longer here. And I will HAVE WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY MINE!" He charged forwards, jumping he swung his Scythe down, his brother already dodging, his Scythe embedded into the roof, debris of the tiles flew up.

"What are you doing brother!" His younger brother cried out, in confusion. How could Father had possibly had chosen him to succeed him.

"Giving me the title of Father's successor is not enough, little brother." He smirked, standing up right again. "I must obliterate all you stand for, so everyone can look at me as a worthy leader."

The Younger brother stared at his brother. Did he really want to kill him. "My brother, Father told me I was to be his successor, I can see why now. With the knowledge of Father's secrets on those scrolls you would do despicable things. I can see it in your eyes. I will protect this world from you!" The younger brother drew his sword and gripped it tight.

His brother laughed loudly. "Spoken like a true Sage, little brother." He continued laughing, until his brain picked up on something. "Wait. You've read Father's scrolls." He smiled widely at the revelation. His brother's silence was only the answer he needed. He laughed loudly again. "Then killing you will be worth it!"

He threw his Scythe towards his brother, who parried it with his sword, but the sheer velocity at which the Scythe was thrown was to much for the sword, promptly snapping it in half. Wasting no time he followed up on his primary assault, thrusting his palm forwards. A jet of Earth followed it, heading straight for his brother.

The younger brother wasted no time, lifting his palms upwards, thick branches of wood rose from the ground with them, blocking the oncoming attack.

"So you have already learnt the first stage to the art of life. Impressive, little brother." He smiled at his brother's techniques. "Don't you see? This is why we are supposed to rule, not be equals. Come to your senses younger brother and realise that. Then perhaps we could rule together."

His younger brother's gaze. "No. There is no turning back now. You have proven yourself to be corrupted by hatred and greed. I can not allow you near Father's scrolls." He lifted his arms and dropped into a stance.

He sighed. "Father tried to teach his techniques to the world. He called it his religion. But everyone outside our family lacks the capacity to perform them like Father could. Like we can. They spend years focusing and honing their skills, I've watched them perform the techniques, they make these signs with their hands. Not like us, brother. We can do it all at will. We can do it all...in a fraction of a second!" He breathed in heavily, instead of breath being expelled, an inferno fire ball was released, leaving nothing but devastation in it's wake. "You're not the only one to learn a few new tricks!" He yelled in fury, his back arched back and he roared, loud and fierce. A ball of fire grew above his mouth. Lifting his arms once more, Earth was shot into the fire, smelting with it's temperature and turning the fire into something new. Something liquid.

_'Lava!_' The younger brother looked at the substance, not much later his brother launched the melted earth at him. Connecting his hands together, he focused his power into the ground below him, using his power he elevated it for him to stand on a platform. The lava struck the Earth. And began melting the platform. To counter this, he expelled thousands of gallons of water from his mouth. Steam rose from the Lava as the water connect with it, dousing the fires and returning it to hardened Earth.

A fist connected to his face. His brother's fist. It had turned grey and was as hard as Iron, he plummeted off his platform and straight back down to the Earth. Looking back up his brother looked down on him with wide, manic eyes. All his life his older brother looked down at him. His brother raised his arm to the sky. Black thunderclouds, began forming above his head, a perfect storm.

Using the steam released earlier, he manipulated it back over to himself, he began compressing it into his hands. Something a kin to a fireball's heat and power, but it could be held, it could be controlled.

Lightening struck his brother's raised hand. Every muscle his brother now moved sent sparks of electricity out of his body, the lightening began storing in his hand. Collecting and concentrating.

"DIE! FOOLISH LITTLE BROTHER!"

* * *

He shot up fast in his bed. His chest rising and falling rapidly. His heart beating a thousand times a minute. The sweat cause the fabric of his bed and sheets to cling to his skin.

_'What the hell was that?'_ He asked his mind, which was currently trying to decipher the meaning of the dream. Everything that happened in the dream he felt as if he was right there, as an extra person in each scene.

He looked at of his window. A full moon. Tilting his head, he saw the smiling face present in it. Taking his eyes off the moon, he breathed heavily, trying to calm his beating heart. _'Wow.'_ Kept running through his mind. Standing up out of his bed, he dragged his feet along his wooden floor. Switching on the light when he entered the bathroom. He went straight to the sink, turning the tap and letting the cold water run.

He splashed his hot face with the water several times. Looking at his reflection, blue eyes met with blue. Sweeping his blonde bangs out of his eyes, he touched under his left eye. _'The Father's eyes...'_

His blue eyes quickly shifted to a bleak purple, spreading over his sclera, until his whole eye was the same colour. His small black pupil pulsed several times, leaving a ripple pattern across his eyeballs. Within a second, they reverted to their original brilliant blue. _'Were just like my own.'_

He stared at his reflection for just a few moments longer. Rikudō. His scrolls. Jubi. What were their importance. And that man, whoever he was, why was he willing to go through his family to retrieve them.

Something that he had never had. A family. He had been alone for the longest of times. Turning back around he left his bathroom and switched off the light. Returning back to his bed, he lay on top of the sheets. He knew he wasn't getting back to sleep tonight.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, how was it? Review please. Let me tell how the inspiration for the Rikudo scene. So there I was sitting watching the Naruto Shippuden Movie 3, and whiile I was watching Naruto make a total tool out of himself, my mind raced back to when Kushina said that the Uzumaki Clan and the Senju Clan were distantly related. I was like, 'How can that be right if the Senju clan's ancestor was the brother of the Uchiha ancestor, what's going on here. Wait, what if there was a third child.' And here we are. I acknowledged that they could have been related through on of the Senju clan ancestor's children. But what I did made for a much better story line in my opinion. So I added a daughter for the Rikudo Sennin, considering this was in a time, when men were generally appointed leaders, the daughter would never had a chance to lead.

But anyways. I quite enjoyed this little snippet of information. Was it all a dream in Naruto's noodle, or was it all real. Who knows, wait I do. It happened, in my story at least. I might not update this as much as my other three stories, but rest assured. It will be updated.

Other than that. Have a good one.

Til Next Time,

Rinne-Kami, Out!


	2. Introductions

**A/N:** Yo! Do not be alarmed! You are still reading my Rinnegan story. I have changed the name from Those Eyes to The Tools We Use, a bit more original, and the basic idea behind the story. Been a while since I updated this. I was focusing on To Become A Master, seeing as that was the one I was getting the most criticisms about. But now I'm back and ready to type, recently I had lost the will to write, but this has reignited my passion for typing.

Anyway about the chapter, can't say much happens. There's character development yes, but nothing really happens during the beginnings of the story, that why it's the beginning. I liked this chapter and I wish I could have made it longer, but what are you gonna do.

Well that's about it. See you in however long it takes to read this chapter.

* * *

"Shinra Tensei." The invisible force exploded out of his palms. Everything flew away from him, like a strong gust of wind. His burnt orange cloak edges following the direction of the push. His many clones that were previously rushing him crashed into various objects a distance away from him. Poofing out of existence.

He exhaled slowly, retracting into an upright position, looking in the direction his clones left. "Definitely a significant improvement from this morning." He spoke to himself. _'I can now push objects 25 metres away from me, considering that this morning I could only push them 5 metres away. Plus the interval between blasts of either Shinra Tensei or Bansho Tenin has decreased from ten seconds to seven, how much lower can the interval get? Either way, Shadow clones obviously has it's advantages.'_

"I'm glad I snuck into the Hokage's mansion to learn the Multi shadow clone technique from the forbidden scroll" Naruto whispered proudly to himself after his little mind ramble. He was proud at how easy it was for him to enter the Hokage's mansion, all the barriers and seals were crystal clear to him, thanks to these eyes.

The black ripples on his deadened purple coloured eyes pulsed. He had been training his eyes and techniques continuously for three years, that was how long it had been since he had graduated the academy. And these three years really boosted his performance. Of course he lacked experience as a ninja, due to Genins needing to be on a three man team to undertake missions, and no free slots wee open for him for those years, but he didn't mind. He wouldn't have gained this new power if it wasn't for it.

His eyes began to ache, quickly deactivating his Rinnegan as the Sandaime Hokage's pupil Jiraiya called it. _'I still can't maintain it for long, extended periods of time yet.' _Naruto told himself in his head, pushing his hand through his sun-kissed blonde hair. His ocean blue eyes resurfacing again. How he hated them, they showed emotions so easily, happiness could be detected, fear could be observed, sadness and pain were prominent. _'I dream for the day I can have the Rinnegan activated consistently. Then I can hide these eyes forever.'_

Readjusting his burnt orange cloak and retying the black sash loosely around it, so it remained open in a V-shape exposing a section of his bare chest. Loose, baggy black pants wrapped into white bandages at his shins were visible under the coat. His bandaged wrapped feet sat comfortably in black sandles.

_'I should go home. The graduation exams were yesterday, tomorrow might be the day when I finally get a team.'_ Naruto thought to himself, even as he had already begun walking home. Apparently this year there were many of the many high influential clan heads children this time around. Nara, Akimichi, Hyuuga, Yamanaka, Aburame, Inuzuka, and even the last Uchiha. This would be an interesting year.

-Break-

"And so these are the ones I expect have the highest potential." The Sandaime Hokage placed the eight portfolio's in front of the three Jonin senseis we had chosen. He had planned everything out. Kurenai was perfect for the tracking and espionage team. Asuma was perfect for the capture and subdue team and Kakashi was perfect for the 'front line' assault team. However he had had some last minute changes for the teams, deciding that then needed at lest some diversification in them.

"Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame and Sakura Haruno. I will be placing them under your command Kurenai, while Shino and Kiba collect information, Sakura's high intelligence will be able to break it down and form expert plans around it. Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi and Ino Yamanaka. I will be trusting them with you Asuma. The previous Ino-Shika-Chio trio was so successful, I don't think it would be a good idea to avoid another opportunity to create a team like it if it is given. Kakashi, Hinata Hyuuga and Sasuke Uchiha will be under your command." Sarutobi explained his ideas to the three Jonin senseis.

"But only Hinata and Sasuke, an odd number for a new Genin team." Kakashi pointed out lazily as he looked over the eight names.

"If I may, Hokage-sama." The bandaged wrapped woman, Kurenai spoke. "Perhaps Hinata will be a better member for the team than Sakura, her abilities suit tracking better."

"Be that as it may, Kakashi's team will be more of the front line team. They will need someone at the ready who can detect traps or ambushes. That and Hinata is the only girl in the graduating year that won't be distracted by the presence of Sasuke." Sarutobi chuckled, the young people and their crushes.

"But that doesn't dodge the fact that there is only two members of this team. There has never been a two man Genin team in the history of Konoha." Kakashi pointed out again.

Sarutobi leaned back into his chair. It was true that only 26 students graduate this year, an odd number for the teams. He needed someone to fill that slot. He needed one Genin.

_'Wait.'_ Sarutobi's mind clicked. _'One Genin.'_ His thoughts raced back three years, 28 Genin passed that year. One volunteered to wait until the next year's graduation to get on a team. But the last three years the a perfect 27 or 30 students passed. So that boy had to continue waiting, but finally, he had an opening.

"I know of someone." Sarutobi told the senseis. "A Genin that has been waiting a while for a team. And I don't think you won't mind teaching him Kakashi. After all it's been quite some time since he's had some real social contact."

"Well, what is his name?" Kakashi asked, his lazy persona still prominent.

Sarutobi smiled at the silver haired man. "Naruto Uzumaki."

-Break-

"Listen up you kids, because I'm only gonna say this once!" Iruka bellowed out across the room, silenced all the chattering new Genin. "The last three teams are... Kurenai Yuhi's Team 8: Shino Aburame, Sakura Haruno and Kiba Inuzuka. Team 9 is still in circulation so skipping that. Asuma Sarutobi's Team 10: Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi."

"But what about Team 7." A boy asked for the entire class.

"Kakashi Hatake's Team 7: Sasuke Uchiha, Hinata Hyuuga. You will meet your sensei and your third team member later. As there is not enough graduates this year to fill the full nine teams." Iruka explained.

"Well Iruka-sensei." Sakura tried to sound cute. "Why don't I be moved into Team 7, after all someone as strong as Sasuke will need to be around people whose strengths he already knows. The new guy can go with Team 8."

And so it began. Iruka sighed in annoyance. All the girls besides Hinata began protesting Sakura's idea, and began trying to persuade him that they should be in Sasuke's team, Sakura defending her idea powerfully. "SHUT IT, ALL OF YOU!" Iruka shouted loudly, was again all the girls were silenced, he had never really had to shout like that before. But he was becoming increasingly annoyed with it all, it was the same thing over and over again. No one really mixed things up or kept things interesting. Sure, Shikamaru, Kiba and Choji rebelled, but they just didn't have that flair of creativity. The flair that he had for that short time.

"These were Hokage-sama's personal choices. You should all respect them." His voice had lowered and calmed. "Now, the Genin joining Team 7 passed three years ago, there hasn't been a team with an available spot open for him. Sasuke will be the only one out of this class who will be able to keep up with him." Iruka began explaining.

In the background Sasuke scowled behind his hands._ 'Me keeping up with him? Why is Iruka speaking as if he is so much more advanced than me?'_

"As for the choice of Hinata. She is the only girl in this class that won't be distracted by Sasuke due to some silly little crush. She and all of you will be able to continue training under your senseis without being distracted by mindless things." Iruka finished, blushes and frowns appeared on the girls faces, many grumbling that it "wasn't some little crush."

"Your senseis will be here soon to collect you. Please remember that from this day on you are a Konoha Shinobi, your duties are simple. Serve the Hokage, protect your comrades and love this Village. Go forward and discover your destinies." Iruka finished with a wide smile plastered on his face. Another group of Genin would leave him now. But he would continue to watch them grow.

-Break-

Sasuke and Hinata sat in silence at opposite ends of the room. Over time the numbers dwindled down, senseis coming to pick up their teams, and Genin leaving. Finally leaving Sasuke and Hinata alone, they had been waiting for over two hours, with nothing in the room to do other than watch the clock.

Finally the door lazily slid open. A masked man in the usual Jonin attire peeked his head through the door. A mop of gravity defying silver hair above his head.

"You guys Team 7." He pointed to the two of them. The black haired boy had an increasing scowl building on his face. "There should be one more of you." He continues, slowly looking around the entire room before shrugging his shoulders. "Meet me on the roof." He quickly said, poofing away in a puff of smoke.

Sasuke and Hinata quickly got out there chairs and began heading for the stair case to the roof, for different reasons of course. Hinata didn't want to keep her new sensei waiting, and Sasuke wanted to hurry up and start.

The both hurried up the stairs, through the door and onto the deck of the roof. Their new sensei sat on the railing, reading a book. Hinata and Sasuke approached him.

"Well shouldn't we begin?" Sasuke spoke up to his new sensei.

"Can't do anything until the fourth member of our squad arrives." His sensei's eyebrow rose, slowly flicking the page of his book over, his eyes never leaving it's contents.

And so they continued waiting in silence, that being broken ever so often by the slow rustling of flipping paper and quiet giggling on Kakashi's part.

"Are you Team 7?" A voice spoke behind them, Hinata and Sasuke turning around and Kakashi looking up from his book. A boy with bright blond hair and blue eyes stood looking at them impassively. A long, open torso, burnt orange cloak as wrapped around him by means of a black sash. It's sleeves obscuring his entire arms from view.

"Naruto Uzumaki. Yes, this is Team 7." Kakashi spoke up. "I was beginning to get a bit impatient, you shouldn't keep people waiting." He reprimanded him, not noticing the stares from Sasuke and Hinata.

_'Naruto Uzumaki.'_ Sasuke looked at the boy. E remembered the bumbling idiot from three years ago, suddenly out of nowhere the blonde idiot developed a silent treatment for everyone. Before he would boldly proclaim both his dreams of becoming Hokage, and his undying love for Sakura. Suddenly it seemed he didn't care for neither, even when Sakura approached him, he looked like he wished he was somewhere else, although he didn't make it as obvious as Sasuke did. Suddenly he went form being a talentless dead last to graduating the academy in the first year that he attended. _'Lets see what changed you.'_

_'Naruto-kun.'_ Hinata looked at the boy surprised, he went to the academy in the first year with her. His antics with Iruka would always make her laugh, his smile was so warm, then suddenly it all disappeared, Naruto disappeared. The boy standing before them now is who graduated, his face uninterested with everything that was going on around him. Like he didn't want to be near anyone. Hinata remembered that time when he rescued her from those three bullies. Even without any special skills he fought them, he was braver than her, and she left him laying on the ground in the woods.

"All I was told was to look for Kakashi. I apologise for not finding you fast enough." His voice was monotonous, he continued his approach to them, sitting down in between Sasuke and Hinata, both eyeing him up.

"No bother. Now we can begin." Kakashi's sole visible facial feature, his right eye shut. A smile if they were to take a guess. "Well this is Team 7, look at each person next to you. They will be the people you spend most of your time with now, at least until you get promoted to Chunin. Shall we begin with introductions, hmm."

No one spoke, each one of the three sat looking at him incredulously. "Fine, I'll go first." Kakashi finally continued after waiting a few seconds. "My name is Kakashi Hatake, I'm 26 years old, my birthday's September 15th. I graduated the academy at aged 5. I have a lot of likes and I have a lot of dislikes. I have lots of hobbies. And my dreams are none of your concern." He finished with am eye smile. "Okay, white eyes, feel like sharing."

Hinata jumped a tiny bit. "Um... M-my name is H-Hinata Hyuuga. I am 12 years old, my birthday is December 27th. I-I don't really want to discuss my likes and dislikes. I enjoy pressing flowers. And my dream, to become a worthy Shinobi, and a worthy member of the Hyuuga Clan."

_'So she has some self-esteem problems. Something to mend.'_ Kakashi thought. "Right, black eyes, you next."

Sasuke scowled at the nickname. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha. 12 years old, birthday July 7th. I hate a lot of things and I don't particularly like anything. My hobbies are training and taking walks. My ambition is not a dream, it is my future. I will restore what my clan once stood for. And destroy a certain person."

'Okay, vengeful, very vengeful, can't be blamed. But there's a lot of hate there.' Kakashi contemplated in his head. "Finally, Blue eyes, you're up." He pointed lazily to Naruto.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto gritted through his teeth, anger was slightly visible on his face, before opening his mouth to speak more clearly. "My birthday is October 10th, I am 12 years old. I graduated when I was nine. My likes, dislikes and hobbies are none of your concern. My dream, dreams are not reality, so I don't concern myself with following one." His answer was devoid of any emotion.

_'October 10__th__. Wasn't that...'_ Sasuke thought in his head, the day the Kyuubi attacked Konoha, when the Yondaime Hokage died. Apparently that was some great tragedy, as the Yondaime Hokage's pregnant wife supposedly died that day as well.

Kakashi stared at the three of them, particularly Naruto._ 'Strange, I can't read anything from his face, but his eyes seemed filled with conflicting emotions, most of them don't appear to be good ones. So lets see what I've got to work with. A girl with serious self-confidence issues, not uncommon. A boy with a vengeful, homicidal tendencies, will have to work on that. And an enigma with social problems and perhaps some emotional instability. Oh, boy.'_

"Right. Tomorrow is the final stage of your graduation, consider it like, weaning out the weak. From this exam, only nine Genin will pass, so there is only a 33% chance of passing. I'd come prepared if I was you, but don't eat breakfast, you'll just throw it back up. Meet me at the Third Training Ground at 6:30 tomorrow morning. See you." Kakashi disappeared in a poof of smoke.

"I suggest that you two prepare yourselves, I don't intend to slow down for you." Naruto spoke, before he himself disappeared in a puff of smoke. Leaving Hinata and Sasuke alone on the roof. Neither said anything to the other, Sasuke already beginning to walk away from where the team was sat.

-Break-

_'Well, as the saying goes. If you want something done right, do it yourself.'_ Mizuki spoke in his head. It was true he was hoping that someone would fail just by a margin, and he could make them steal the forbidden scroll, but alas, that person didn't show up. But he himself had gotten the scroll and now he was in the clear and his path to Orochimaru was easy. Except...

"Don't do this Mizuki!" Iruka shouted out from a distance in front of him. How he loathed Iruka. Even after losing their brief fight, Iruka stood defiantly, battered and bruised, but still defiant.

"Get out of my way, Iruka!" Mizuki ordered, taking one of his Fuma shuriken from his back and throwing it towards Iruka.

The large star-shaped weapon spun wildly towards Iruka, who prepared himself with a Kunai.

But someone new entered from above, cutting the shuriken in half with a canvas white blade. His orange cloak dancing through the air. He stood up straight slowly, staring at Mizuki through purple, black rippled eyes. The white blade retracting back up his sleeve.

_'What are those eyes?'_ Mizuki asked himself, this boy was young, very young. And he looked surprisingly familiar. "Get out of my way kid or you're gonna die!"

"I can not allow you to steal that scroll, it holds valuable secrets. Secrets scum like you shouldn't know." The boy answered, his spiky blonde hair flowing gently with the breeze.

Mizuki growled, taking the other Fuma shuriken on his back. "You're dead!" He threw it hard at the boy, he should have saved it for Iruka, but nobody calls him scum.

The boy extended his arm out in front of himself, pointing it towards the incoming shuriken.

"Shinra Tensei." The boy spoke calmly, as most deathly.

The shuriken suddenly shot back at him at an untraceable speed. There was no time. His left shoulder was impaled by it. Tearing through the skin and muscle and stabbing into the tree behind him. Mizuki roared out in pain, wincing at the sight of his almost severed arm. Blood exploding out of the wound.

Before he had any more time the boy spoke again. "Bansho Tenin." Mizuki felt like he was being reeled in by the chest, his body flew towards the boy's extended hand, where a white blade extended out of again.

His body connected to it, piercing him through the chest, missing the scroll by a few centimetres. His chakra flared, it was being invaded, it was being poisoned. He could see the boy's eyes in his mind, messing with all his responses, he couldn't move, he couldn't talk, he couldn't scream.

"I produce these blades by compressing my chakra into a solid form under my skin then pushing them out. When it connects to other things my chakra transfers into them, giving me control over them. The first skill I received upon awakening these eyes." The boy explained. Looking down at Mizuki's bleeding form.

Mizuki was dying. He knew it, with much force he moved his head up. To gaze at the face of his killer. He recognised him easily now. The blonde hair could have been anyone, but those whisker marks on his face. "The Kyuubi brat." Mizuki wheezed out quietly. His vision was fading.

"What do you mean?" The boy returned, his voice seemed to rise.

"The Hokage made a law.." Mizuki spoke quietly again. "No one... was allowed to tell you... that the Kyuubi was sealed within you... you are the Kyuubi-" His head rolled backwards, his mouth gurgled quickly, blood dribbled out both sides of his mouth. The everything stopped, Naruto could no longer feel his pulse on the blade. He retracted the blade, taking the scroll from his back, letting the man's body drop to the ground in a heap.

He turned to the other presence, who was obviously scared out of wits. "N-Naruto. Is that you?" The man looked at him in shock. Naruto threw the scroll to the man, who stumbled, but caught it.

"Return it to the Hokage. If I do, I may question him on his law, and that wouldn't lead to a good outcome." Naruto explained, before disappeaing. Leaving Iruka alone, his quick breathing kept a steady sound.

Iruka stared at the body of his former close friend. He hadn't expected Naruto to be so brutal. The Hokage had told him that Naruto had experienced a change, but he didn't expect a complete polar opposite from what he used to be.

ANBU soon arrived. One taking the scroll from Iruka, another picking up Mizuki's dead body. Other congratulating Iruka for his invaluable service to Konoha this night.

"No." Iruka told them, looking back to the place his former student stood. Despite everything, he protected the village, for that he was so very proud. "It was Naruto Uzumaki."

* * *

A/N: Well, how was it. Read and Review as always. Criticisms accepted, but no flames please. This chapter was a lot easier to write than other chapters I've written recently. And now I'm keeping in accordance with my Writer's law. Except for A Complete Family, Incomplete. But now I have 16 days to focus on that, so it's all good.

Next chapter update, well I might take a Hiatus during February, that being my month of birth, plus I want to write a fifth story so I can apply for Betaism. That will help me hone my own skills as well as make other people's stories more enjoyable. So expect either a late January release or an early March release if I am taking that Hiatus.

Well, can't think of anything else at the moment.

Til next time,

Rinne-Kami, Out!


	3. Teamwork

**A/N:** Yo! My final update before I take my Hiatus. I don't really want to take it, but I'm awfully tired. A break might be nice, it will give me time to plan my stories further. I'm working on my fairy tail/Naruto crossover. I'd like to release that in March. But any way, onto the chapter.

There was something I forgot to mention last time. The white chakra blades Naruto uses. Yeah, they are the black chakra rods Pein uses. I went into detail for how they are made because they just seem to sprout from anywhere on Pein's body. Plus Naruto never met the Gedo Mazou. Why they are white, you know how chakra has different colours. Well in my fic the colour of the blades are the same as the colours of the user's chakra. Hence Naruto has a canvas white chakra colour, while Pein has an abyss black colour chakra, complete opposites.

I quite like the chapter, better than most of the stuff I've been releasing lately. And the fight scene seemed better, more length, not over in a hurry, it was still short, but there is an improvement. All in all. Good.

Well that's about it. See you in however long it takes for you to read the chapter.

* * *

Naruto's eyes sprung open. He turned to his clock, he had woken up two minutes before the alarm he had set, again. Sighing, he moved his hand to switch the alarm off before it could start ringing. He sat up, twisting his neck and stretching his arms and back, removing any aches that sleep brought to him. Naruto sat at the edge of his bed for a few seconds. His mind beginning to recall the very same event that his dreams played on.

_"The Hokage made a law.."_

_"No one... was allowed to tell you... that the Kyuubi was sealed within you... you are the Kyuubi-"_

_'Am I really the Kyuubi?'_ Naruto's hand made its way to touch just underneath his eye._ 'Are these eyes just a result of the Kyuubi?'_

Naruto's other hand touched his stomach, the marking he had grown up with appeared, Naruto looked down at it, he had known for a while it was a seal. But now he knew what it was sealing. _'I can't be the Kyuubi, why would I have a seal then. The Kyuubi must just be locked inside me. I may have to make contact with it one day.'_ Naruto thought, he stood up, stretching whatever else needed to be stretched.

"_Tomorrow is the final stage of your graduation, consider it like, weaning out the weak. From this exam, only nine Genin will pass, so there is only a 33% chance of passing. I'd come prepared if I was you, but don't eat breakfast, you'll just throw it back up. Meet me at the Third Training Ground at 6:30 tomorrow morning."_

_'Kakashi's exam.' _Naruto, moved through his fridge, looking for anything that could be considered as breakfast. Deciding on a glass of milk and three apples, Naruto carried his breakfast back over to his bed, where he placed it onto the bed side table. He hopped back into bed, throwing the blanket back over himself. _'Won't start for a while. He's notorious for being late.'_

_**-Break-**_

After that extra snooze Naruto felt more prepared, he left his apartment at 7AM. Compared to the 6AM he initially woke up to. He walked into training ground three, it was no surprise to him that Sasuke and Hinata were both already there. They both looked exhausted, and hungry.

_'Lets be nice.'_ Naruto thought as he approached them. He stood in between the two of them, Sasuke leaning against one of three vertical tree stumps and Hinata sitting down next to another. Naruto gave a quick nod to the both of them, getting a nod in return from Sasuke and a meek wave from Hinata.

And so the silence settled in again. Naruto wondered if the atmosphere was like this before he arrived as well, or if he had just interrupted an important conversation between the two of them.

"So..." Naruto looked to the two of them. "Did you two eat anything?"

The rumbling of their stomachs was enough of an answer. "I expected as much." Naruto muttered under his breath, he pulled out two energy bars, tossing one to Sasuke and the other to Hinata. "Eat. No matter what Kakashi's test is, you won't be able to perform at your best and impress him with an empty stomach."

Both gave a quiet thank you to him, before diving into the small snack. Naruto stood in between them, his face not showing any happiness for the gesture he had just done. _'I have waited three __years to progress. If I am forced to wait any longer, I will leave this village.'_ Naruto's motive for helping them rang through his head. It was the way of the world, of humans. Help yourself before helping others.

_**-Break-**_

10AM. Kakashi was 3 and a half hours late. They had stood together in relative silence for the time, Hinata dozing off once or twice. Naruto continued to look straight ahead. _'He's got another 15 minutes.'_ Naruto patience was being tested to an extreme at the moment. _'Perhaps this is our test.'_

"Sorry, I'm late. A black cat crossed my path, so I had to take the long way around." Kakashi appeared out of nowhere. Smiling sheepishly and rubbing the back of his head.

Naruto glared at Kakashi, though his face was still blank. Sasuke face was a bit more vocal, the anger was obvious in his face.

A drop of sweat fell from Kakashi's face. "Anyway, shall we begin." He pulled out two bells from his pocket and jingled them. "See these. Your objective is to get on of these bells from me, do so and you pass."

"B-But, K-Kakashi-sensei. There's only two bells." Hinata pointed out.

"I know. Remember yesterday when I said there's a 33% chance of passing. Well this is it. If you don't get a bell, you fail. I will send you straight back to the academy." Kakashi explained, their was no humour in his voice, and it startled Sasuke and Hinata.

Naruto stared at Kakashi, something wasn't right. _'There's never been a two man team in the history of Konoha. There is always three. It was the rule set down by the Shodaime Hokage, Kakashi won't disobey that.'_

"And how do we get these bells from you?" Sasuke asked Kakashi, he knew the answer. He just wanted the confirmation of his actions.

"You come and take one from me. But I suggest you come at me with the intent to kill, because I'm not going to just hand it over." He reached into his shuriken pouch, taking out an alarm clock. "Enough talking. You have till noon to collect one of the bells. Begin!"

Instantly Kakashi saw blurs evacuate the open field, darting into the bushes. _'At least they know to hide.'_ Kakashi thought to himself, however, one had not moved at all from his standing position.

Naruto stood completely still, perplexed at the idea behind this test. _'Three 'fresh' Genin are expected to match one seasoned Jonin, beat him in combat and retrieve a bell, then only two will pass and one will be sent back to the academy. For a place that prides itself on teamwork, Konoha sure has some weird-'_ Naruto's mind clicked. _'This test is checking teamwork, to see if we put each other before ourselves.' It was the complete opposite of his previous thoughts. 'Kakashi's trying to press the idea of good teamwork in early, not a bad plan. But I have to tell the other two. I don't intend to fail.'_

Naruto flashed his _**Rinnegan**_, he took a quick scan around, locating Sasuke and Hinata locations, they weren't far and they were quite close together. Naruto held out his arm in their direction. "_**Bansho Tenin**_." Hinata and Sasuke came flying out of the bushes towards Naruto.

_'Those eyes, and revealing his teammates locations. Is he purposely trying to keep them in the open?'_ Kakashi looked on, whatever Naruto's eyes were they were new to him. _'And to control gravity, I've never even heard of such a thing.'_

Naruto's hands connected with Sasuke and Hinata. As soon as they did they were gone, disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kakashi stared at the vacated spot. _'__**Shunshin**__. He's trying to make some distance between us. Perhaps he's figured out the test.'_

Kakashi looked around for any indication in the direction they travelled. _'Nothing. He's mastered it to a high extent. Naruto has a lot of potential. Guess I'll just have to find them the old fashioned way.'_ Kakashi's hand slipped into his shuriken pocket again. He took out his Icha Icha Paradise novel. He had just hit chapter 17, and the plot was thickening. Kakashi moved to sit down and lean against one of the tree stumps. _'They'll come to me for these bells.'_ The bells on his trousers jingled, Kakashi opened the book slowly, in his mind the page of the book shined brightly as he opened it, ready to bestow its knowledge onto him. Kakashi giggled childishly, he enjoyed these books.

_**-Break-**_

Naruto crashed into the ground, he had gotten as far away from Kakashi as he could. He had never carried so much weight while performing the _**Shunshin**_.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sasuke growled out loudly, he had taken the opportunity while Kakashi was talking to find a suitable spot for hiding and attacking, and he found one. But now Naruto ruined it.

"Teamwork." Naruto replied instantly in a hushed voice. "The exam is testing our teamwork. We are supposed to forget about our own personal gains and work together to retrieve the bells."

"I don't need your help!" Sasuke spat out in return.

Naruto stared at the raven haired boy blankly, before standing, sighing as he did so. "Listen Sasuke, Hinata. I don't need your help to get the bells. But it's obvious teamwork is the test, how else does Kakashi expect three new Genin to get the bells."

Sasuke continued to stare at Naruto, but had nothing to say in return. "W-What did you have in mind, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked for the both of them.

"It appears we have a balanced team with exceptional abilities. Here's my plan; Hinata. You track down Kakashi and monitor his movements from a distance with your _**Byakugan**_. Sasuke, you go head to head with Kakashi, he will suspect that you will make a solo attempt first. All you have to do is make sure you pin him down, your _**Sharingan**_ will be able to follow Kakashi's movements to some degree. I'll collect the bells once you capture him. Hinata, while we battle make sure to warn us if Kakashi tries to perform any jutsu." Naruto explained out his battle plan. He noticed Sasuke's eyes dart away at the mention of the _**Sharingan**_. "What is it?"

Sasuke had never felt so humiliated, Naruto had already figured out the nature of the test and come up with a plan that might actually increase their chances of passing. Now he had to admit his Uchiha shame to him. "My _**Sharingan**_ hasn't activated. It will only activate during a stressful or emotional event." He couldn't bear to look either of them in the eye. Even Hinata had control over her Kekkei Genkai, a Doujutsu like his own.

Naruto looked down at him. "A stressful or emotional event." He whispered to himself. "Hinata, keep a look out for Kakashi. If he comes your way, hide and stay hidden." He called to the girl, who seemed to jump to a startled attention.

"W-W-Why?" She stammered out, no one had never trusted her with so much. Did Naruto really have that much faith in her?

Naruto moved like a blur, grabbing hold of Sasuke, in a second they had vanished again, in a similar fashion as to how they escaped from Kakashi.

_**-Break-**_

Sasuke's was flipped over. Literally. He felt the blood beginning to rush to his head, he looked downwards, the hard ground below seemed miles away, to his sides were spiked formations of rocks. Too intrinsically carved to be of nature's design. It was then he recognised two things.

One was his location, he was dangling over the edge of the Fourth Hokage's face, carved into the mountain. Second, the iron vice grip on his left ankle. He looked to see Naruto, glaring back blankly from above. His arm extending over the mountain's edge.

Sasuke's body went into a panic, he begin flailing wildly in the grip of Naruto.

"Activate your _**Sharingan**_ or I'll drop you to your death." Naruto's eyes widened as he glared hard at Sasuke, making himself look slightly maniac.

"I TOLD YOU BEFORE, IT ONLY ACTIVATES UNDER A STRESSFUL OR EMOTIONAL EVENT! I CAN'T FORCE IT TO ACTIVATE!" Sasuke screamed at the person who held onto his life.

Naruto's eyes returned to there normal heavy lidded style. His eyebrow rose, a deathly smirk appearing on his face. "You can't force it. But I can."

The iron vice grip ceased. Sasuke's world went into slow motion, he saw Naruto's disappearing face, the smirk never leaving his face. Then all he could see was rock. His world began speeding up, he looked down. The ground closed in home him. He had moved too fast. He was too far away to cling onto any rocks to save his own life. And even from this height, no amount of chakra could cushion his landing. He looked down, facing the ground.

His eyes widened. Naruto appeared at the bottom of the Mountain, staring back up at him, his hand extended upwards. A white blade appeared out of his arm, he gripped onto it tightly and jumped, hurling himself towards the plummeting Sasuke. The sword aimed directly at the centre of Sasuke's chest.

Sasuke's own mind went blank, running out of possible ideas to escape this fate. His eyes closed, everything was meaningless now. He just didn't have the tools necessary to escape death this time...

His eyes shot open, colour burst into his world. He looked at the sword Naruto grasped. He could see the concrete like substance it was made of. _'Is this my __**Sharingan**__?'_

Naruto's sword moved out of it's direction, Naruto's free hand connected to Sasuke. Sasuke felt the world vanish, reappearing a split second after. No longer was he falling freely through the air, but standing softly on the grass of a forest. Hinata placed nest to him. Sasuke could see the increase of chakra flow around her eyes. Not very clearly, but he could see her chakra running through her body.

He turned to glare at Naruto, who stood before him like nothing had happened. Sasuke's eyes went wide when he looked into Naruto's own. Like Hinata there was an increase of Chakra flow around his eyes, but the design was new to him. His entire eye was purple, save for the black pupil, concentric black circles spread away from the pupil._ 'What are those eyes?'_

The sword in Naruto's arm crept back up his sleeve, Hinata and Sasuke watched in horrid fascination, their eyes enabled them to see everything.

_'The sword is going back into his arm!'_ A partial truth, they watched it enter his arm, and immediately begin to break down, turning back into a liquid which then flowed back into his chakra pathways. _'A sword made from pure concentrated, solidified chakra. Just what is he?'_

"My task is complete. Sasuke's _**Sharingan**_ has activated, though not fully developed." Naruto noted the one tomoe in Sasuke's left eye and two in his right. "I'm guessing you saw part of my abilities, do not concern yourself with it. Our plan begins now, we don't have much time."

Naruto turned, expecting Sasuke and Hinata to follow. They did. Hinata leading them to Kakashi's location, as they laid down the final elements to their plan.

_**-Break-**_

Kakashi continued to read his book, his new team hadn't even made an attempt at taking the bells yet, and they only had a spare 45 minutes before the time ran out. Not that he was complaining, the book was beginning to get interesting. Her sister betraying her out of jealousy, they both love the same man equally. He is forced to choose between the two of them, but both have threatened to commit suicide if he doesn't choose them. Oh yes, this book was getting very good.

A rustling caught his attention, out from the bushes came Naruto. His blank expression was beginning to bug Kakashi, he couldn't read anything from it. '_Perhaps he didn't figure out the test.'_

"Naruto. You're the first one, where are Sasuke and Hinata?" Kakashi asked, placing the book safely back in his pocket, dusting himself off as he stood up.

"I took them out of the game. I don't need them interfering with my objectives." Naruto replied in his blunt, emotionless voice.

"I see." Kakashi mentally sighed, would these Genin ever learn. "Well, it's been a long time Naruto. You've kept yourself to yourself. It's time someone gauges your abilities." Kakashi relaxed into a fighting stance.

Naruto didn't respond. _'I will have to make sure not to use Ninjutsu.'_ Naruto dashed quickly towards Kakashi, delivering a series of three punches, aimed chest, stomach then head.

Kakashi deflected the first two punches, the final jab to his heads went through, receiving a knock to the temple.

_'His speed is impressive. His strength too.'_ Kakashi moved away from the blonde boy, who quickly filled the gap and delivered a fast punch to Kakashi. Kakashi caught the fist. 'But not that impressive yet.'

Kakashi delivered his own series of punches to the blonde boy, who he had trapped with the caught fist.

Naruto flew backwards, able to get away from the barrage of punches from the older nin. Upon landing, he was met with a line of shuriken.

He jumped over them, in the blink of an eye Kakashi was above him. Naruto through out his arms in a cross shape in defence. Kakashi's foot slammed into his arm defence, hurling him back towards the ground.

He spun in mid air, landing back comfortably on his feet. _'Damn, he's really good.'_ Naruto, rolled backwards to Kakashi's previously thrown shuriken, selecting a few, he quickly tied ninja wire around them.

He stored them back in his cloak. The sash holding everything he stored inside like a giant pocket. He jumped towards the mid air Kakashi, giving him two quick jabs, both which were caught.

The blonde spun his body around, twisting Kakashi's arms around. His foot connected with the shoulder of the older nin.

Naruto refused to let go as the fell, when they neared the ground, he planted his two feet on Kakashi's chest, using him as a platform, he jumped away, launching both of them in the opposite direction.

Kakashi crashed into the ground. _'A smart move, holding my arms in place. I let that attack play out, not my smartest of ideas.'_

Naruto twisted again in midair, landing to face Kakashi. He quickly redrew the shuriken and threw them towards the downed man.

_'Ninja wire!'_ Kakashi was quick, he shifted his body weight to rest on his arms, thrusting himself up at a height that only years of training muscles could reach with just his arms. _'He aims to trap me in that.'_

Naruto appeared beneath him, delivering a strong uppercut to his stomach, followed by Naruto grabbing Kakashi by the neck and hurling him over his shoulder, so Kakashi's back was to Naruto.

Naruto placed his arms under Kakashi's arms, then linked them around his neck, holding his arms in place. Both fighters landed on the ground, the impact of the fall harder to maintain.

"Well played Naruto. You've caught me, but now with your arms preoccupied, how do you expect to get the bells." Kakashi looked over his shoulder to the shorter blonde boy, whose grip was strong, stronger than what a 12 year olds should be.

"Simple." Naruto smirked, a puff of smoke enveloped Naruto, revealing a smirking Sasuke. _**Sharingan**_ ablaze in both eyes. "I'm not Naruto."

_'It was all a trap, I couldn't see through it!'_ Kakashi's mind was shocked, he was completely played into Sasuke's story. He played his part well, adding that he knew next to nothing on Naruto's personality.

The real Naruto hopped out into the open. Crouching down to one hand gently touched the grassy ground. His free arm extended two him and Sasuke. "_**Bansho Tenin.**_" That ripple design was visible in his eyes again. Kakashi felt his entire being being tugged on, he saw the bells stretch out towards Naruto's hand as if magnetised. The string that tied them to his pants snapped, the bells shot towards Naruto, who caught them effortlessly.

"Mission accomplished." Naruto smirked. "Hinata. You can come out now." He called out to the trees behind him, the blue haired girl can running out a bit later. Standing next to Naruto.

Sasuke released his grip on Kakashi and moved over to Naruto and Hinata._ 'That jutsu. It's as if he controlled gravity itself, is it a kekkei genkai, or just an extension of the abilities his eyes gave him.'_ Sasuke pondered everything that transpired, it was clear to him, Naruto was stronger than him. _'But not for long.'_

"That jutsu. Why didn't you just use it in the first place?" Sasuke asked Naruto once he approached him.

"Because, I was using a weaker, more concentrated version. Targeting something specific, not just Kakashi as a whole. Because of that it it easy to dodge, and if I used it with anymore force I would have got Kakashi as a whole, or just ripped his trousers off." Naruto explained.

Everyone sweat-dropped slightly. Kakashi chuckled weakly. "Probably best that didn't happen. There's more to that though isn't there?"

Naruto nodded. "I realise what you were testing us on. Had I gone alone, you would have failed us."

Kakashi took one bell from Naruto and gave it to Sasuke. "Exactly, but now. Who gets the bells? You two did the work, does Hinata deserve to fail?"

Hinata seemed a little heartbroken. Until Naruto casually threw her his bell. "If it wasn't for Hinata, we wouldn't have located you as fast, she was also monitoring your chakra in case you tried any Ninjutsu. So she deserves a bell."

Sasuke passed his own over to Naruto. "You came up with the plan, therefore you deserve to pass the most out of us three, plus you've been waiting the longest."

Hinata gently placed the one Naruto gave her back into Sasuke's hand, a small blush on her face. "Y-You fought Kakashi head to head, you had the hardest task and you performed superbly. You deserve to pass."

Kakashi looked down at the scene. He filled with what he believed to be his first proud sensei feeling. 'They understand...'

"You pass." Kakashi caught their attentions. "You understand teamwork and treating your friends right. My first lesson is this. Someone who goes against the rules is scum, true. But those who abandon their comrades are lower than scum. We begin training tomorrow at first light, get ready for some of the most intense training of your lives, I want you all to be on equal levels by the time we get our first mission."

_**-Break-**_

The rain crashed down hard on the village. His village, he wrestled it from Hanzo's tyranny and now he led it to freedom and piece. His _**Raining Tiger at Will Technique**_ forever his eyes and ears, to watch over his home. _'We've done it Yahiko. And with this technique, you can finally stop the endless tears.'_

His black rippled eyes over dull purple sclera scanned across the village, before he let out a sigh. "Refrain from using that technique in my village." He turned to meet the new presence.

"Why?" The red iris complete with three black tomoe stared cockily through the orange swirling mask. "Because you can't monitor my movements without it?"

"What do you want, Madara? I have a village to run." He replied in his cold, deadened voice.

"I thought you just might want to know the gossip of Konoha." The orange masked man, Madara shrugged his shoulders.

"Konoha is filled with gossip and lies. I have no time for anything that village produces." His voice rose a little, hatred becoming the only audible emotion.

"Really, but this rumour concerns your eyes, Pein. Apparently you are not the only one who has been given them." Madara chuckled when he saw Pein's eyes widen a fraction of a millimetre.

Pein, stared at the orange masked man, before turning to face his village out of the gap in the room, standing on the tongue of the face sculpted into the architecture of the building. Allowing the rain to wash over him. "As I said, Konoha is full of lies."

"But this one is worth delving into. What if it's true?" Madara asked him.

Pein looked over his shoulder at the man. He refused to venture near Konoha, but what if this one rumour was in fact based on truth, could this Rinnegan user be a disciple for him, or just a test. Or maybe was this one the one who would bring to the world. "...Fine, I will look into it. Perhaps it's time for God to have a disciple, or even a son."

* * *

**A/N:** How was it? I'd give it a 7/10 at the least in my honest opinion. But in the end it was still a good chapter.

I didn't want to over power Naruto at the beginning of the story. At the miunte all he knows is Shinra Tensei, Bansho Tenin and the Chakra blades. He will learn things quickly, but none of the six paths powers yet.

When people make Naruto stronger they seem to undermine Sasuke alot of the time, but the matter of fact is Sasuke is one of the strongest in his age group, like it or not, so I wanted to play the Sasuke is strong as well card.

Well, that's about it.

See you in about a month. Does anyone know any good fics, I've ran out of some good reads and no one seems to be updating! ! !


	4. Invitations

**A/N:** Yo! Well, I owe an update for this story seeing as i missed it in February, so here we have it now in March.

Well, I can't think of anything more to say...

_

* * *

'This damn cat!'_ Naruto growled in his own mind, he and his team had been following it around the village for about half an hour. The cat determined not to go back to it's owner was avoiding them at all costs.

Dipping and diving all across Konoha after it, the cat had finally made the mistake of darting into a blocked off alley, it scratched angrily and worriedly at the wall, too high for it to climb.

His team surrounded it, it shot back around to face them blocking the only exit of the alleyway, hissing at them threateningly, extending its claws out, ready to claw away at their skin.

"Right, now we've caught it. We gently close the gap between us. Then Naruto, you grab it." Kakashi spoke in a hushed tone, edging forwards.

"Yes, we could do that, or..." Naruto extended his arm, eyes flashing to deadened purple. "_**Bansho Tenin**_." The cat flew across, Naruto catching it by the scruff of its neck. He looked towards Kakashi, who seemed surprised, but just nodded.

"Well, mission accomplished." Kakashi spoke lazily. "Lets head back to the Hokage to hand in the report." He pointed his thumb in the direction of where missions were assigned.

They walked in silence all the way until the front of the room, upon opening the door the cat started struggling defiantly, a large woman stood in the room. _'That must be its owner.'_ Everyone looked towards the woman.

Naruto however stared hard at the cat, piercing through it with menacing eyes, he dropped the cat, and instead of fleeing from the woman actually jumped back into her arms, looking for some kind of protection, as it stared with fear at Naruto as it was carried out.

_'Stupid cat.'_ Naruto turned around to face the Hokage, who was looking with interest at the team.

"Hmm, perhaps we are holding this team back with D-Rank missions." Sarutobi wondered, rested his head on his crossed fingers. "I mean, a team with this Calibre, we've never had three Kekkei Genkai on one team before. Perhaps we're just holding them back."

Hinata and Sasuke turned to Kakashi and Naruto. '_So one of them has a Kekkei Genkai as well.'_ Sasuke thought, his eyes shifted to Naruto. The abilities he had already shown, and those eyes. _'Could there be a newer, third Doujutsu.'_

"Well, there's a very easy C-Rank mission here. As well as a few harder D-Rank." Iruka fished through the files, bringing out the appropriate papers.

"Well, what do you say Kakashi?" Sarutobi asked the very lazy man, who looked on impassively.

Kakashi turned to his three Genin. "You guys can choose." He flashed them one of his eye smiles.

"Pick the C-Rank." Sasuke replied almost instantly. These stupid D-Rank missions were uneventful and superfluous, how could he improve his skills when all he was doing was weeding plants or catching stray animals.

"Um...Er...Umm." Hinata fidgeted on the spot, unable to get out what she wanted to say.

Naruto only shrugged his shoulders, glancing out the window. "If it will improve our performance, I will agree with Sasuke, pick the C-Rank."

Kakashi nodded, turning back to the Hokage. "We choose the C-Rank." He spoke, saving speaking to Hinata about the small gasp she let out upon his answer for later.

"Very well. Send the client in." He ordered the Chunin at the door. A man who appeared drunk entered, looking angrily around the room. "Tazuna-san, these will be your escorts, Kakashi, Sasuke, Hinata, Naruto this is your assignment, escorting Tazuna-san home." Sarutobi spoke, Kakashi, Sasuke, Hinata and Naruto nodding when their names were spoke.

"THIS is my protection." The man surlily scoffed. "Three kids and a guy who looks close to taking a nap! How are these gonna protect someone of my standing?"

Naruto glared hard at the man, who caught his stare, ice blue eyes met drunken black. Naruto continued staring, boreing into the man.

"That kid." Tazuna pointed to Naruto, who everyone began looking at. "He's got some menacing eyes. He'll do just fine."

-Break-

The group walked down the road, surrounding Tazuna at all angles, Naruto positioned at the front, Hinata and Sasuke at the sides with Kakashi covering the rear. The group walked in relative silence. Their feet patting against the earthy road.

"Naruto." Sasuke broke rank slightly, moving forwards to stand next to Naruto. "Your eyes. The purple ones, what can they do?"

Naruto glanced over to him, he couldn't deny that he had them. "I don't know." He answered truthfully. "I feel like I've only begun to scratch the surface of them. But from what I've already seen them do, it might not be too much of an exaggeration to say that they can do anything."

"Then why not find someone who can teach you?" Sasuke asked further, he needed to know how much of a threat Naruto was to himself.

"Because there is no one." Naruto replied. "I've checked the medical files of Konoha's entire history. The _**Rinnegan**_ has never appeared in another from here. Perhaps it is just a mutation."

_'So that is the __**Rinnegan.**_' Sasuke stared at Naruto's eyes.

"Unless..." Naruto suddenly continued. "My blood extends out of Konoha. And there are others with my eyes out there. Then I will find them and go with them, learn everything there is to know about these eyes."

"And what of Konoha?" Sasuke asked, it was Naruto's home.

Naruto turned to Sasuke, a smirk on his face. "I have no ties to Konoha. I'd abandon it in a heartbeat if someone could show me the truth behind myself."

Sasuke's eyes widened, returning to his normal position in line. _'He's actually considering abandoning Konoha.'_ There was no lying on Naruto's face, he'd leave to improve himself. This brought Sasuke's own motives up. '_Would I leave Konoha should the opportunity arise? If someone __could make me stronger than Itachi, no matter who it was, would I go with them?_'

-Break-

_'A puddle?' _Naruto stepped over it, there hadn't been any rain for days_. 'If their gonna hide, hide well.'_

As Kakashi stepped over the puddle, two ninja erupted out of it. Clad in ripped cloaks with horned headbands on their heads. On one hand of each man was a clawed gauntlet, tying the two shinobi together with a shuriken chain.

The chain wrapped around Kakashi, digging into his skin, they pulled hard on their chain, the sound of metal shredding through skin filled the air.

"Kakashi!" Tazuna shouted in horror as the silver-haired shinobi fell to the floor.

"Well if the toughest one went down like that, how long will these last?" One shinobi spoke, glaring over to the three kids.

"Easy brother. We'll start with the blond one, he looks to be the weakest. What kind of shinobi wears an orange cloak, or the colour orange at all." The other replied, the fanned out, speeding towards Naruto, aiming to wrap him up like they did with Kakashi.

Naruto effortlessly jumped over their chain. "_**Bansho Tenin**_." He extended a hand out towards each of them, they shot towards Naruto who moved out of their direction. The two shinobi bashed head first into each other.

Naruto followed with quick punches to both of the fluidly. Filling the seven second interval before he could use his jutsu again.

His leg connected with one of their heads, which knocked into both towards a tree. A sort of timer went off in Naruto's head, knowing he was able to use the jutsu again.

Naruto landed safely on the ground. "_**Shinra Tensei.**_" He launched a blast of invisible pushing force towards the two shinobi, they collided into the closest tree hard, the bark cracking underneath them.

Naruto flashed towards one of them, still dazed from the attack, he pull his body around the tree, meeting back up with the other shinobi but on the opposite side. Naruto grabbed their free hands hat were not clad in an iron gauntlet and laid one on top of the other. With his own free hand, a white blade extended out of it, he thrust it through both the palms and sunk it deep into the tree. Both shinobi let out screams of pain, however they felt their chakra become interfered by some unknown source, it played with their minds until they both slipped into unconsciousness.

Naruto snapped the white blade from his palm, leaving it embedded in the tree, pinning the two shinobi closer than they already were.

"Well taken care of, Naruto." They all spun to see Kakashi waving lazily at them, not a single scratch on his body. Noticing their confused and surprised stares, Kakashi pointed over to a log, cut into smaller chunks, the same place where he had once fallen.

_'A Replacement...'_ The three Genin stared at the logs. Kakashi moved over to the two pinned shinobi and delivered quick chops to their necks, making sure that they were completely unconscious.

"These are the Demon Brothers, Meizu and Gouzu. They are Chunin missing-nin that defected from Kirigakure." Kakashi identified the two shinobi.

"So what shall we do with them? Kill them?" Naruto replied first, a shocked gasp escaping Hinata, Naruto's eyes looked across to her darkly and full of annoyance.

"No there's no need for that. They aren't going anywhere, anytime soon." Kakashi tapped on the white chakra rod a few times. "Besides, I believe some explaining is in order..." Kakashi turned to stare at Tazuna. A drop of sweat dripped down the old man's face, accompanied by a loud gulp from his throat.

-Break-

"Nami no Kuni is being terrorized by Gatō, the business man." Tazuna finally confessed, after being confronted by Kakashi who notices the holes in his story, such as Chunin being dispatched to kill Tazuna on a C-Rank mission. "He's left our village poor. We couldn't afford anything higher than a C-Rank."

"I'm sorry Tazuna." Kakashi responded. "But this is now out of my hands, if the Demon Brothers have failed, someone stronger might be dispatched, but I must ask why Gatō is so keen as to see you dead?"

"The Bridge I'm building." Tazuna replied hesitantly. "If it is complete, trading will be allowed t commence in our village, providing a boosting economy. Gatō doesn't want that, he likes to have all the money."

Kakashi nodded, before turning to the three Genin. "What do you want to do? This will be classed as an A-Rank mission. Do you want to continue on?"

"The man will die if we leave him here." Naruto replied first, moving to stand next to Tazuna. "Return to Konoha if you want, but I stay with him. Tazuna..." He turned to the older man. "I will not expect payment for helping you if your country cannot afford it, but your country and yourself will owe me a debt, one that I will see paid in time."

Tazuna gulped, he was unsure about the boy's assertiveness, the boy could ask for anything in return. But still, the boy was fierce, he could be the protection he needed.

"I will stay as well." Sasuke spoke, moving to stand next to Tazuna. "The same applies for me, I don't need your money. But should a day come when I need your help, I would only ask that you give the same honour."

"I-I shall also stay." Hinata spoke last. "I can not leave me teammates behind."

Kakashi sighed, he should have expected this. "Very well, we will stay."

-Break-

_'So this is Zabuza Momochi...'_ Naruto stared at the man standing on the huge sword that the man possessed, the sword stabbed horizontally into a tree.

"So you managed to take care of the Demon Brothers, eh Kakashi." Zabuza spoke from looking over his shoulder down at the group. "But now you have to deal with me."

_'This is bad. I wasn't expecting an A-Rank missing-nin like Zabuza.'_ Kakashi instinctively moved his hand towards his slanted headband, ready to pull it back and reveal his _**Sharingan**_.

"Kakashi, save your energy." Naruto moved up next to him. "I'll fight first, when he is weakened you move in for the kill. You will need to be at top strength in order to kill him."

Naruto didn't wait for an answer, ignoring calls for stops he rushed towards Zabuza.

"Foolish brat." Zabuza stepped off his sword, clutching onto it with his hand and freeing it from the tree, he turned ready to cleave the boy's head from his shoulders.

"_**Shinra Tensei.**_" Zabuza heard the boy speak deathly, he lost control of his own body, suddenly he felt like he was the weight of a feather. A blast of force shot him backwards, his body snapped through multiple, yet his momentum didn't stop. He dug his massive sword into the ground and clutched onto it tightly, halting his movements.

The boy came flying in from overhead, a cylinder whit blade sprouting from his hands. _'He can create swords!'_ Zabuza looked at the white blade in wonder, he jumped out the way of his incoming attack.

Zabuza caught a look at the boy's eyes, they had morph from blue to grey, with black concentric circles coming from the pupil._ 'What is that? Some sort of new Doujutsu?'_ Zabuza theorised, but this boy was something, manipulation of gravity, a new Doujutsu, the ability to create blades from his body.

"You're one special kid." Zabuza chuckled slightly. "Too special to kill right now. But you're also the enemy." Zabuza sighed depressed. "What to do?"

"You can die." Naruto replied, forming a second blade in his other palm he shot forwards, Zabuza rose his sword to block the incoming attack.

"But your form is weak." Zabuza chuckled, swatting Naruto away like he was nothing. Naruto landed comfortably on the ground a few metres away.

"How about you join me, kid?" Naruto's eyes widened at Zabuza's offer. "Come with me, and I will teach you everything there is to know about the sword. Learn what it truly means to be a sword master."

"I'm not impressed." Naruto smirked in return, slipping into a battle stance. "There's many master swordsmen in Konoha, I'm sure one of them will teach me."

Zabuza only chuckled in return. "Konoha is weak for swordsmanship. Only Kirigakure and Kumogakure triumphed in the use of swords. I am one of the Seven Swordsman of the Mist, kid. There is no one better than me." Zabuza bragged, he threw his large sword towards Naruto, it stopping just at his feet. "Pick it up." Zabuza ordered him.

_'He's so confident that he throws me his weapon. If I oblige, it will give me an opportunity to kill him.'_ Naruto planned, he moved down to pick up the sword one handed. _'Heavy!'_ Naruto struggled to lift the sword up, now using two hands to try and pick the massive cleaver up, but he still couldn't lift it an inch off the ground.

"How do you feel now?" Two feet were in front of him. Naruto looked up from the sword, Zabuza's towering form loomed over him, glaring down at him with glee.

Naruto jumped away from the sword, preparing to strike Zabuza again. However he could only watch in fascination as Zabuza picked up the sword with one hand, now that he knew the sheer weight of it, watching him effortlessly throw it over his shoulder.

"And now you know how I can train you. Not just your swordsmanship, your physical strength as well." Zabuza smirked through his bandages at Naruto. "So what do you say? Will you join me?"

* * *

**A/N:** Well, how was it? In my own opininion I'd give it a 4/10, very short for my usual writing, not a detailed chapter, I don't like the wave arc at the best of times, but I Know I shouldn't let it show in my work. Anyway, I'm started a whole new update scheme, so this will probably be the first to be updated, seeing as it was last this time around.

Til Next Time,

Rinne-Kami, Out!


	5. Deceit

**A/N:** Yo. Rinne here. Well, on September 3rd it will be officially my 2 year aniversary as a Fanfic writer, so I was planning to update all of my in-progress stories for it, so eight new chapters on the 3rd, however that might not be possible so I'm updating what I can when I can, but I will try and update every story first before carrying on.

Well I've survived two years, and this passed year my updates have been slow and few and far between... okay fuck it, they've been pretty non-existant, it's been a really tough year for me and there's been a lot of pressure on me. But things are picking up. But I won't bore you with details, all you guys want to know about is the updates. I don't have to celebrate my aniversary as a Fanfic writer. However, despite my shitty upload speed and general disregard for my stories, you guys have stuck by and supported my fics, still waiting eagerly for each chapter, so this is my aniversary present to you guysd. I don't really car about high reviews at this moment in time because I honestly don't deserve them. But hopefully this will suffice for now.

Anyways, onto the chapter.

* * *

"So what can you offer me that Konoha can't?" Naruto asked the older missing-nin as he stared at him through the thick mist. "Swordsmanship? It can be found in Konoha. Physical strength? Surely you have heard of Might Guy, have you not?"

"I can offer you freedom." Zabuza replied, smirking victoriously as a spark of interest flew through the young blond boy's eyes. "With me you can learn without restraint. With me, no technique is forbidden. Imagine yourself free from the constraints of a hidden village, where their rules are absolute, the most powerful of techniques being made unavailable to you the classes of techniques."

Naruto seriously began contemplating Zabuza's words, more than what a Konoha ninja should. _'He is not mistaken. There are techniques I wish to learn from that Forbidden Scroll of the Shodai Hokage, but does those techniques being unavailable to me justify me leaving the village? I have considered leaving Konohagakure in the past, but is Zabuza the right path?..._' He then turned backwards, to where Kakashi and the team were, they knew too much about him already just by his eyes alone.

"Thinking of what would happen to them if you were to join me?" Zabuza chuckled as he stared at the small boy looking backwards.

"I am now." Naruto answered, turned back to face the ex-mist shinobi. "If I were to go with you, what would happen to Tazuna? And the rest of Team 7?"

"It would be up to you." Zabuza grinned through his mask. "We could escape right now in the mist and they would have no idea. However, I would suggest killing them off. That way we won't have Konoha following us right from the get go. Only when they realise your team hasn't returned at the predicted time will they send look outs, and even then they will believe you had died with them."

"So you would spare them? If I were to join you?" Naruto responded, his eyes narrowing. He wasn't stupid by any means, he was analytical. He could see in Kakashi's brief fight with the Demon Brothers that Kakashi was not fighting at his full potential. He had to hold back for Tazuna, and was concerned with protecting the three of them to fully focus on the enemy.

"If that is what you wish." Zabuza responded, extending his arm out to Naruto. "Become my tool, fight for me. And in time I will morph you into the greatest shinobi ever to be seen."

'_Your tool._' Naruto's eyebrow rose, plans formulated in his mind. He was unsure that he could best Zabuza at this minute, the heavy mist still lingered, a terrain better suited to Zabuza. Zabuza was a versatile Jounin, Naruto was still a Genin no matter how far he had advanced. Perhaps going with Zabuza was the best choice?

"I'll go with you." Naruto answered after a moment. "But let me deal with Tazuna and Kakashi's team. You don't exactly have a record for keeping things clean." Naruto turned, heading back into the mist.

"Cheeky brat." Zabuza spoke as the boy walked away, his eyes glaring at the boy's back. _'If it weren't for those strange abilities you possess, they'd be taking you back to Konoha piece by piece…'_

* * *

"Naruto!" Sasuke called out into the thick mist, hoping that his blond teammate might respond. "Hinata, have you found him yet?"

Hinata shook her head worryingly. "I-I don't have a strong radius with my _**Byakugan**_, he's not within my eyes reach yet." She explained honestly.

Just then the mist began to disperse, as Team 7 began to regroup around Tazuna, they saw Zabuza staring at them from a distance, but what shocked them was who was next to him. Naruto stood facing them, with a sly smirk on his face.

"Konoha has nothing more to offer me." Naruto called out from a distance. "Zabuza does, so this is a farewell to you all, I'll be going with him now."

"You little traitor!" Tazuna roared in return at the blond ninja, who's smiled only grew larger in response.

Zabuza himself chuckled, "I'll be going ahead, you deal with Kakashi and his team." He spoke as he began to walk away. Naruto nodded to him quickly before turning back to face Team 7.

"Naruto…" Kakashi spoke out solemnly, "Are you really going to do this?" He asked as he began reaching for his headband once again.

In a split second Naruto was in front of him. _'So fast!'_ Kakashi thought in shock at how quickly the Genin cleared the distance. _'He looks just like-!'_

His thoughts were cut off by blinding pain in his stomach, a canvas white rod had been thrust through his stomach courtesy of Naruto, the rod appearing to come out of his long burnt orange sleeve. "Does that answer your question?" Naruto asked as he let go of the rod, before connecting with three fast punches to Kakashi's chest and face hit vital points on the chest and temple, before placing his hand on the older man's chest. "_**Shinra Tensei.**_"

Kakashi was blown away from the blond, stumbling and bouncing off the floor until he came to a halt. They turned from the scene of their fallen Jounin back to Naruto, who adjusted himself back to an upright position. _'What was that technique?_' Sasuke wondered, it was as if he had control over gravity. _'A technique like that should be impossible!? How does he possess it!?'_

Naruto looked back towards them, his blue eyes had morphed to a full pale purple with black concentric rings rippling from the pupil. "Are you next Sasuke?, because quite frankly Hinata is probably more of a challenge to me than you, at least she has power in her eyes."

Sasuke's face contorted to fury at the remarks, he let off a load war cry as he charged to Naruto. "Don't underestimate me or my _**Sharingan**_!" He roared, his eyes alit with blazing red and uneven tomoe in each eye.

He threw his right fist at Naruto, who dodged it with ease. Straight after Sasuke swung his left leg in one fluid pinning motion, but Naruto ducked underneath and with his own crouching spin, swiped his leg at Sasuke's balancing leg, knocking him off his feet.

Sasuke quickly recovered, returning to his hands and pushing himself up into the air, creating a distance between the two of them. 'I'm not going to defeat him with Taijutsu, he's faster and stronger than I am, but with Ninjutsu!' Sasuke thought as he began weaving through hand seals and taking a deep breath. "_**Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!**_"

A large ball of flame spewed from the Uchiha's mouth, engulfed and incinerating the floor as it rolled towards Naruto. Naruto himself reacted with his own set of hand seals, before similarly taking a deep breath. "_**Suiton: Gōteppōdama!**_"

A large bullet of water shot from Naruto's mouth towards the fire ball, they connected with a result of thick steam and the end of both attacks. _'He can use Water Release Ninjutsu!'_ Sasuke was shocked, he had believed that he was the only person in his age group who could use Nature Transformation.

"_**Doton: **__Chiisai__**Sangaku Choukou!**_" Sasuke heard the technique being named, directly in front of him a small jagged pillar of rock jutted up to hit him in the stomach, knocking him back up into the air before crashing down to the ground.

The raven haired boy gritted his teeth to mask the pain as he looked upwards towards the blond, whose hands were set in the snake seal. _'And Earth Release!?'_ He thought of the impossible as he stared towards the blond. _'Just how far ahead is he!?'_

Naruto returned to an proper standing position, before extending his hand towards Sasuke. "_**Bansho Tenin!" **_Sasuke felt his body move out of his control, like he weighed nothing he flew towards Naruto's hand, where his grip wrapped around his neck, grinding him to a painful, choking halt, locking him in place in the air.

"You underestimated me and MY eyes." Naruto spoke in a bored tone before slamming Sasuke into the ground by his throat with a powerful force. Small drops of blood squirted out of Sasuke's mouth with the impact.

Naruto released his grip and began walking forwards; Hinata had watched everything in horror. It was true that Naruto had changed, but she never could have guessed to such an extent. Now she stood near shaking as he approached her.

"Your eyes are better than Sasuke's." Naruto spoke out to her as he walked closer. "But he surpasses you in every other way, there's no point in fight you, Hinata. You're too timid." He said as he stopped. "When you have conquered your timidity, come back and face me properly." Suddenly he was in front of her, drive his fist into her stomach with blinding force. She leaned forward in pain onto his shoulder.

_I'm sorry_

She could have sworn she heard him whisper into her ear those words as he moved his body, letting her drop to the floor.

Naruto then turned to Tazuna, who glared him out. His grey eyes reverted back to the ocean blue, apathetic ones before he disappeared in a _**Shunshin**_, leaving the broken and beaten team to themselves.

* * *

"Ah so you've finally caught up, eh?" Zabuza spoke as Naruto approached him, the large man was stood with someone shorter than him but still taller than Naruto. He had long black hair which was gathered in a white bun holder tied with a green-blue piece of string, while two locks of his hair fell loose framing his face, bound with metal hair cuffs at the ends, pale skin and large, dark brown eyes. He had a relatively slender frame and his outfit consisted of a moss green, striped turtle-neck sweater and a split skirt in matching colour that reached down to his knees. On the outside of that, he wore a green blue short kimono with white edges, and around his waist a green brown obi, in the same fabric as his sweater, with a fringed trail.

He also wore light brown platoon sandals with straps in the same colour as his kimono and nail polish on his fingernails and toenails in matching blue-green colour. He was also sporting a hunter-nin mask on top of his forehead protector; a white mask with thin, curved eye-holes and a red wavy design in place of the mouth, as well as the Kirigakure symbol on the forehead. "I believe introductions should be in order." Zabuza looked towards Naruto, the blond finally realising that he had never given Zabuza his name.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki." He responded, before looking directly at the bandaged man. "You are Zabuza Momochi, former Kiri nin and wanted for the attempted assassination of the Mizukage." Naruto spoke before looking to the other masked person, waiting for a response from him.

"This is Haku Yuki." Zabuza spoke whilst pointing to the masked shinobi. "He is ANBU level, and perhaps even more dangerous than myself."

"Come, Zabuza-san. We must return to the hideout." The person spoke in a masculine yet soft tone of voice.

'_He doesn't trust me… and he's going to be troublesome to convince that I'm on his side…'_ Naruto watched at both the Kiri shinobi turned to continue walking, Naruto's eyes set on the shorter one; Haku. There was something about him, his aura probably. His whole being just gave off this feeling about him to Naruto. _'This guy… he's nothing like Zabuza, he's nothing like me… He has a completely pure heart…'_

* * *

"How could he do that!?" Tazuna screamed in fury over the blond shinobi, they had arrived at his home after carrying the wounded Kakashi there. He was still in anger over what had happened with Naruto's betrayal.

"He's pursuing power, and he had spoken about abandoning the village when we were in Konoha." Sasuke growled out, not only was he sore that Naruto, perhaps the only real challenge for him in his age group had left, but that Naruto had also defeated all three of them so easily. '_Is he really that advanced? To even beat Kakashi, Kakashi was holding back in the bell test, how would I compare against him at full power? How would I compare against Naruto's full power?...'_

"Being quiet please." Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter spoke as she gripped the rod still stuck in Kakashi's stomach. Gently she removed it from his abdomen. "Fortunately, he missed any vital points, I'll do all I can to speed his recovery, but I doubt he will be at his best any time soon. He might be able to fight again by the end of the week at the least."

Kakashi grunted as the pain of having the rod removed woke him from unconsciousness. "Keep that." He spoke as his eyes moved towards the chakra rod. "We're going to need to examine it."

Tsunami nodded, taking the chakra rod, but as she stood up, a puff of smoke erupted from the rod, when it cleared, there stood Naruto, his arms crossed staring down at Kakashi.

"You!" Tazuna roared charging and gripping Naruto by the neck, pushing him up against the wall. "How dare you show your face so suddenly after what you did! What are you here for? To finish the job!?"

Naruto easily pulled the man's grip from his throat, readjusting himself and placing one hand on his waist. "Words are the most powerful weapon in a shinobi's arsenal, filled with lies, and deceit. Zabuza asked me to join him, in return he said he would spare all of you… if that was what I wished…" Naruto spoke to everyone else's surprise. "I figured if I could keep close to him, I can keep you informed of his movements. So I created a clone in the thick mist and transformed it into one of my chakra rods, I doubt I would have been able to create one later or Zabuza would have got suspicious. And I didn't have time to inform you of my plan, so I left the clone with Kakashi so to speak to explain once you were in the clear." He explained, before looking down towards the laying Kakashi. "I'm sorry for your injury, I had to make it convincing, but I made sure to avoid any vital organs."

"So does that mean you're still on our side?" Tazuna asked, not yet letting his guard down against the blond boy.

Naruto only looked to him and gave him a sharp nod. "I'll keep an eye on Zabuza and keep you informed as much as I can."

"What do you know so far, Naruto?" Kakashi asked as he struggled to sit up, he should have predicted that Naruto could pull off a play like this, but he couldn't read Naruto at all. He either was a really good actor, or he had seriously thought of abandoning Konoha and going with Zabuza.

"Zabuza won't be making any movements for another week." Naruto responded, "And he's not alone, aside from the Demon Brothers, there is someone else working with him. His name is Haku, and he is at ANBU level, Zabuza proclaims that this Haku is more dangerous than himself." Naruto's eyes widened for a moment, before they returned to the usual blank state. "I'm running out of chakra, I'll send another clone later on when I've found out more about Zabuza's plans and this Haku." After that the clone disappeared in a puff of smoke.

* * *

**A/N:** Yo! So after having this story on hold for a ridiculously long period of time I've finally updated it for my aniversary. The chapter was a little short, but that was because I've been away from it for such a long period of time.

Fire Release: Great Fireball

Water Release: Great Gunshot

Earth Realease: Small Mountain Sculptor

Those are the technique translations during Naruto and Sasuke's fight

Well that's pretty much it, see you on the next chapter. I can't give you a date but it will be after 3rd/9/2012


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